


Heavenly

by yungmenace



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, Eventual relationship, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:54:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22206685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yungmenace/pseuds/yungmenace
Summary: An old friend from your past re-emerges when you move to take over your late grandfather's farm. Maybe a change of environment is just what you need to pull you out of your shell.
Relationships: Harvey (Stardew Valley)/Reader, Harvey/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Harvey/Player (Stardew Valley), Shane (Stardew Valley)/Reader, Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 55





	1. Primum non nocere

Medical school was meant to be your way into being a doctor. That's what you wanted to do since you were a child, and you had been determined to do so. But as you sat at your desk, answering calls from various people about medical issues, you set into deep thought. Were you really helping people by telling them that, yes, you can eat two tangerines in one hour without dying, and no, hugging someone will not get you pregnant. Resting your head in your hands, you thought back to when you were in medical school, when you were _passionate_ about helping people.

* * *

You was one of just three women in your graduating class from Eagle Medical Institute. This meant you had to work much harder to be noticed. So, you did.

Most of your class was men, and they were arrogant but talented. And because only three women were available, they frequently took any opportunity they could to try and coerce one of them to go on a date, and often, more than that. But there was one other man in your class that always caught your attention.

Harvey. Tall, shy, and brilliant. Constantly trying to fix his messy hair but failing just as consistently. Always offering his help to anyone who was struggling. Never making inappropriate advances on any of his classmates. He was definitely your favorite classmate, without a doubt.

You remembered helping people. Part of your schooling had to do with working with real people. Helping them with their problems, figuring out the right medicine to prescribe, how to best patch up a scrape on a child's knee. Working with people was the best part of school. _Making a difference_ , you thought. _Actually doing something_. 

After many years of school and training, they all graduated, and you were the last woman standing. The others had found husbands and decided to go that direction instead. You were glad you would never have to deal with any of those men ever again, but felt a small ache in your heart knowing you'd never see Harvey again. He had always been so kind and you would miss his pink blush when you brought him coffee on early mornings.

The jobs never came. They were always filled before you even had a chance for an interview. So you ended up being forced to take a medical call center representative job with Joja Co. You weren't happy about it; mega corporations like that are only interested in money, and that hurts people. But it was your only option.

* * *

Unfortunately, that job hadn't led anywhere. You had been stuck at a desk for 8 hours a day for years after you graduated. You were still young; you had gone to medical school fairly early. You didn't want to feel like you were wasting your life. 

On one particular day, you felt drawn to a drawer in your desk that you hadn't opened for years. A small letter sat inside, one you had never opened out of fear of disappointment. Your wonderful grandfather had passed away, and the last thing he had left to you was that letter. You so wanted to open it, but was also absolutely terrified that it was just a list of all the things you had done wrong. 

But it wasn't. It was a deed to his old farm in Stardew Valley, a place you had visited many times before when you were young. He had given you the farm. 

You didn't hesitate at all. Stopping by your manager's desk on your way out, you handed him a quickly written letter of resignation and headed out the door before he could say another word to you. You packed as fast as you could, not really bothering to take much with you. You'd just tell your landlord that it could all be sold. Making a call to the man your grandfather called Lewis in his letter, you informed him that you would be taking over the farm today. He sounded surprised, but made the arrangements for your arrival.

A one-way ticket to the valley was relatively inexpensive, and you sat on the bus, quietly thinking about your new life. What would you grow? Would you have animals? What would you call the farm? Were the people there kind? You had been alone for so long since you moved to Zuzu City that you nearly forgot what meeting new people was like. This feeling wouldn't last long.

Practically as soon as you stepped off the bus, an older man with a newsboy hat and a gray mustache greeted you. "You must be Mercy! I'm Mayor Lewis, I was good friends with your grandfather. I'm very excited for you to take over his old farm, might bring some new energy to Pelican Town!" He said, all while vigorously shaking your hand. "Yes, I'm Mercy! It's great to meet you, Lewis. I'm excited to be here too." 

He led you to the plot of land, and you were a bit shocked at the disarray the farm had fallen into. Lewis quickly saw your reaction, and assured you that with a little hard work, the farm would be up and running again. You nodded, a bit of enthusiasm growing. "Yeah... Yeah! I'll make this place wonderful again, just like my grandfather would want." Lewis smiled. "Great! Our town carpenter Robin will be by later to help fix up the cabin so you can stay there. For now, why don't you go meet some of the townsfolk? They're just as excited as me to have a new person here." You nodded and followed him down the path out to the town.

"There's plenty of people to meet, but I'll show you some of the important buildings here." You followed him to what looked like the town square. "Over there is the Stardrop Saloon. That's the best place to go on Friday nights for being social, but Gus, the owner, makes a killer pasta every day." Taking a few strides over, he pointed to a pair of buildings. "That's Pierre's, where you'll find all the seeds you'll need for the farm. And next to that is the clinic. You should go there as soon as possible to get your physical and set up a profile with the doctor." You were definitely interested in meeting the doctor; maybe they could be your first new friend! But Lewis kept moving. 

"Over here is a few of our resident's homes, but across the bridge is JojaMart, the blacksmith, and the museum and library." Lewis turned to look at you. "If you go down a path from your farm, you'll also find Marnie's place. She sells livestock and supplies for them, so I'm sure you'll become well acquainted with her." Placing a hand on your shoulder, the mayor smiled. "We're all very glad you're here, Mercy. Now, don't let an old man take up your time, go meet some people!" He said, nearly shoving you in the direction of the saloon. You shook your head. "I'm actually going to stop by the clinic first. I used to be in the medical field, and I'd love to meet your local doctor." 

Waving goodbye to Lewis, you walked into the clinic, a small bell ringing to alert your presence to those inside. A young woman in a nurse's uniform stood behind the desk. "Oh hello, I don't believe we've met. Are you the new farmer?" She asked, looking up from her papers. "Um, yes! I'm Mercy, I figured I should stop by and introduce myself." The nurse nodded. "I'm Maru. It's nice to meet you. Would you like a physical? Dr. Harvey doesn't have anything on his schedule for today, so I'm sure he'd be fine with a quick appointment." That name stopped you in your tracks. It couldn't be _that_ Harvey _,_ that would be far too coincidental. "Yes, I would love that!" You said, as Maru headed behind a door. You heard some voices, until another person came through the doors.

It _was_ that Harvey. Tall with a kind face, and now a mustache that he hadn't had when you were in school together. He hadn't quite looked at you yet, but you quickly made yourself look busy so he wouldn't catch you staring. Finally, the doctor looked up. "Mercy...?" Your eyes met his, warm and chocolaty brown. "Oh, it is you!" He smiled, and you caught yourself almost blushing. "I didn't expect to see you here, Harvey!" You said, taking a step towards him. "Well, I went where I was needed after school and Pelican Town just so happened to need a doctor. What brings you here?" He asked, arms crossed across his chest. "Oh well..." You didn't want to admit that you had been stuck in a dead-end job and moved here on a whim. "My grandfather left the farm just outside town to me, and I wanted to honor his memory, you know?" Harvey nodded. "Of course. Well, it'll be great to be able to catch up, but right now I should check your vitals and make sure you're in shape to be taking on that farm." He said, laughing warmly. 

You followed him back to the examination room and seated yourself on the table. He checked your blood pressure, your ears, your throat, and then moved to check your heart. For some reason, as he pressed the stethoscope against your chest, you felt your heart start to race. _Well, that was certainly going to skew the results_. "Your heart rate seems to be elevated, are you feeling okay?" You honestly didn't know why your heart was beating so fast. But then you looked at him again.

Suddenly you were a 20 year old med student again, with a silly crush on the sweet man with messy hair who always smelled like coffee. "It's just... exciting to be in a new place. I think I'm just a little nervous to be in town." Harvey smiled. "That makes sense. You'll get comfortable here eventually, everyone is really great." You nodded, and watched as he rolled his chair back to his desk. "Well, you seem perfectly healthy to me. If you ever feel sick or you get injured, don't hesitate to come here." You stood and got ready to leave the room, before Harvey spoke again. "We should get together sometime. Catch up and all that." He suggested, looking a bit uneasy with his own suggestion. "I would really like that. I'll come by again soon to figure out a time." You said, waving goodbye as you went to the waiting room. 

Making small talk with Maru for a bit, Harvey eventually came out and went behind the desk with the nurse. You said your goodbyes, but watched their interaction for a second. Almost every word Maru said in his direction made Harvey blush, which in turn made your stomach twist. Why? You had only just reunited with the man, and that silly crush had already come back. It was stupid, to feel jealous over someone like that. 

You took a sharp breath in, catching the attention of the two behind the desk, but all they saw was a closing door. 

You were here to work on the farm, not worry about a little crush from years ago. Promising yourself it wouldn't affect your time here, you made your way back to the farm. You'd had enough social interaction for the day.

But the only thing on your mind during the walk back to your new home was the doctor. 


	2. Vita nova

Time seemed to pass faster in the valley. Hours turned to days, which turned to weeks, and soon you realized that the end of spring was quickly approaching. So far, you had made friends with many of the villagers, even being invited to dinner at Evelyn and George's multiple times. You were happy to meet everyone. They were all so different from the people you knew in the city. 

But after your first encounter with Harvey- which seemed to be uncomfortable only for you- you had done your best to avoid the clinic and all places you knew Harvey frequented. Thankfully, it seemed he rarely left the clinic and you never ran into him, which you were thankful for. You didn't want him to question the way you acted when you left that day, and frankly, not seeing him would help the crush go away. At least you hoped it would.

* * *

A big difference between the farm and the city is that you had to wake up much earlier here. Waking up at 6 instead of 8 was a huge change, but you made it work. Although you were frequently confused by the fact that your mail had already arrived when you left the cabin, you learned not to question it. On the 23rd of the month, you received a letter from Lewis informing you that the annual Flower Dance was going to happen the next day, and it was tradition to ask someone to be your dance partner the day of.

Panic quickly set in. You didn't know anyone well enough to ask them to be your partner, and you _certainly_ weren't going to ask Harvey. Did you have to ask someone? Maybe you could just stand off to the side and watch. 

Thinking you had averted disaster with your marvelous plan, you took a deep breath and headed out into your crops to start your daily chores. 

Although it started off as feeling tedious, you had started to love working in the field. Knowing that you were the sole reason these crops were growing and thriving made you feel successful, like you were actually doing something. That was what you lacked when you lived in the city. A sense of purpose. 

You almost became entranced while working in the field. Someone could have come onto the farm and you wouldn't have noticed at all. In fact, that's exactly what happened. As you hummed softly, watering each of your plants, you heard a small cough from behind you. Turning to see who it had come from, you nearly jumped. 

"Oh, hello Doctor." You said, pulling together as much composure as one could have in a moment like this. "What brings you here?" His hair was messy as ever, and you could tell he had walked here by the slight pink tint on his cheeks. Or at least, that's what you assumed. "Well, Maru had mentioned that you hadn't come in at all since your first visit. I know how straining farm work can be, and I just wanted to make sure you weren't overdoing it." He explained, watching as you continued to work.

"If I need to come to the clinic, I assure you that I will." You told him, trying to avoid eye contact. It's not that you didn't want to look at him, but you almost felt guilty when you did. He was either in a relationship with Maru, or he was interested in her. No matter which it was, it wasn't your place to try and start anything. 

There was a moment of silence between the two of you, and you thought he had left. But when you looked up, he was sitting on your porch watching you work. "You know, I do believe you said you would come by again sometime so we could find time to get together and catch up. You swallowed roughly. You had hoped he wouldn't remember that. So you decided to play dumb.

"Hm, I don't recall that, I'm sorry. I've been really busy here, and I'm sure you don't have time for an old school friend." You said, hoisting the basket of parsnips into your arms to carry over to the bin. Harvey shook his head as he stood and followed you. "I've got time. Once you're done here, meet me at the saloon." And then he was gone.

* * *

You tried to delay going to the saloon as much as you could. You laid down new fertilizer, planted new crops, built some sprinklers, and took a _long_ shower. But even after all of that, there was still plenty of time to meet Harvey.

Nerves nearly overcame your ability to walk long distances, and you stopped in the middle of the trail between your home and town. Would it really be so bad if you just didn't show up? It might make future clinic visits a little awkward, but that might just be worth saving yourself the embarrassment that could come from catching up with Harvey.

In the end, you decided that one little get-together couldn't be so bad, and you finished the walk to the saloon. Tuesdays were never that busy, so you quickly spotted Harvey and made your way over to him. Looking up from his coffee, he smiled at you. _Oh no._ You remembered that smile. That sweet, warm smile that always made you melt. The effect had not changed. 

"I'm glad you came, I really want to catch up. It's not often that someone new comes into town that one of the residents knows." You seated yourself across from him, making sure not to sit too close. "So, what's life been like since medical school?" Harvey asked, setting his mug down. "Oh well..." Here it came, the moment you would have to explain that you took a dead-end job because it was all you could get out of school. But he looked so genuinely interested in what you had to say that you didn't care anymore. "After school, I couldn't really find any jobs at hospitals or clinics. It was a little disheartening. Eventually, I had to take a medical call center representative job with Joja so I could pay the bills, and I just got stuck there. I got so fed up with working there that I looked anywhere for an escape and it just so happened that my grandfather left me the deed to his old farm here." You sighed, shaking your head with a small laugh. "It's actually sad, now that I think about it. I spent all that time in medical school just to find myself doing nothing with what I learned and seeing one of my old classmates succeeding more than I ever could."

Harvey frantically shook his head. "No, no don't feel like that! The work you're doing is far more beneficial than anything I'm doing. Healthy food is incredibly important to a small town like this, especially when the only other place we can get food is the Jojamart." He explained, taking a sip of his coffee. "I assure you that everything you're doing on that farm is more than appreciated by the citizens here. Lewis even told me that you were planning on fixing the Community Center?" You nodded, recalling that conversation with the mayor. "My grandfather always had fond memories of it, so I wanted to try to return it to its former glory."

"That's a fairly daunting task. Are you sure you can handle that?" You waved off his worries, and smiled. "I'm more than up to the task. I've got to have something to do in my free time, right?" You joked, but a serious look crossed Harvey's face. "I am your doctor now, and that's a lot of work to take on. Please be careful." His obvious worry for your safety caused a warm feeling to rise in your chest, but you quickly pushed it away by remembering Maru. "I will. So what's life been like for you? You're a small town doctor, I'm sure you know everyone by now. Who's cool here? Anyone specific?" You were trying to be subtle, but you wanted to know.

"Ah, well... I moved here pretty soon after finishing school. I'm not particularly close with anyone specific here, other than... Maru, but that's because we work together." A pink blush dusted his face when he said her name. He wasn't great at hiding his feelings. _So it's just a crush. Probably_. You thought to yourself, listening as he continued. "It's a nice town, really. Very quiet, everyone generally gets along. I suppose it could use more tourism to boost the economy, but it's a lovely place nonetheless." You went quiet for a moment, thinking about what you would've given back in school to be in this moment. But it wasn't anything like what you imagined then. 

Here was this man, someone you admired in many ways, right in front of you, talking to you and getting to know you better, and you were helpless. You wanted so badly to tell him about your little crush, just to get it off your chest. You would hope he would reciprocate, but you know that he wouldn't. Then you could never show your face in town again. Everyone would know what happened. You would have to become a hermit on your farm and cut off all interaction.

Maybe that was a bit exaggerated, but that's all you could think of. Harvey must have noticed your silence and he nudged your hand with his mug. "Are you okay?" You looked up at him, eyes meeting, and you felt your face erupt in a blush. "I... I have to go." Without another word, you sped out of the saloon and back to the farm. It was late enough now that you could just lock your cabin door and go to sleep. 

You did anything but sleep that night.

* * *

The Flower Dance was set to start at 9, but you wanted to avoid it for as long as possible, knowing Harvey would be there. You made sure to thoroughly complete all of your chores for the day, and by the time you were done, it was 11:30. Maybe you could just skip it altogether!

That thought was quickly put away when a familiar face strode onto the farm.

"Lewis sent me to come get you. Can't start the dance without every citizen there, apparently." The irritated tone quickly gave away who it was, and you turned to see one of your newer friends standing at the bottom of the stairs to your cabin.

"Listen Shane, do you really think my presence is that-" He cut you off before you could finish. "I'm not making that judgement call. Lewis wants you there and I was just sent to get you." You sighed, before going inside to change. You knew it was probably a more formal event, so you found the most spring-y dress you had and quickly pulled it on. 

Heading back out, you found Shane still waiting for you. "I expected you'd want to go as fast as you could." You laughed, before he shrugged. "You'v never been to this part of the forest, so I figured I could help you get there." You definitely appreciated the thought as you two began walking together. The dance was being held in a part of the forest you didn't even know existed so you were grateful Shane had stayed to walk with you.

As soon as you crossed the small bridge, you could see everyone's eyes on you, or more specifically, the two of you. "Are you two dancing together this year?" Caroline asked as she made her way to you. Looking very uncomfortable, you stumbled over your words, especially when you saw Harvey watching the interaction. Shane looked over at you, saw your reaction, and nodded. "Yeah sure. We are. Figured the new kid could use a partner." You were immensely grateful for his quick response. 

Heading over to a corner, Shane gave you a quick rundown of what the dance was. You were glad that you were a fast learner in this moment. Lewis approached you two, and grinned. "Well! I didn't expect you pair to come together for the dance." Shrugging again, Shane elbowed you gently. "Someone had to end up with her." You laughed, knowing he was kidding. Or rather, hoping he was kidding. "The dance will start in a few minutes, so get ready!"

The other couples started lining up, and you weren't surprised to see Harvey and Maru together. 

"Got a thing for the doctor, huh?" Shane said as you walked to your spots. "No, I... Well, we know each other, and I just... Maybe. I don't really know." Shane chuckled, moving to stand across from you. "We can figure that out over a pitcher. Let's just get this over with for now, yeah?" You nodded as the music began.

* * *

The Flower Dance was much more enjoyable than you were expecting. You spent the rest of the day with Shane, as he told you about more town traditions and gave you dirt on people in town.

"Lewis and Marnie? Really? I guess that makes some sense, she just seems so much younger than him!" You laughed, sitting cross-legged on the ground by your friend. "Yeah well, I've seen Lewis sneaking out of the back of the house on more than one occasion, so I just came to that conclusion." Despite his outwardly gruff nature, Shane seemed to be particularly kind to you for some reason. 

"So, Harvey?" He asked, a little quieter than before. "We... knew each other in med school and I had a little crush on him then. I guess it's kind of coming back, but I'm not going to do anything about it. He pretty clearly likes Maru." You explained. "You're right about the Maru thing, but she's definitely not interested. I'm pretty certain all she cares about is her work and science shit, you know?" You laughed a bit at Shane's vulgarity, and nodded. "Yeah, I kind of get that feeling from her. But still, I don't want to do anything to make Harvey uncomfortable. He's still my doctor." 

Almost on cue, Shane pointed inconspicuously to your left. You looked over, and saw Harvey heading in your direction. "I can give an excuse for why you had to leave, or you can talk to him." You quickly weighed your options. "Actually can you walk me home? It's getting kind of dark and I don't exactly remember the way back..." You said, as he began to stand. Sticking out a hand, he helped you up and the two of you walked past the doctor before he could say anything.

It made you feel... powerful, but also a little guilty. What if he had something important to tell you? You shook that thought out of your mind and carried on home, with Shane leading the way. He said goodbye at the door, and you slipped out of your dress and into pajamas. You sat on your bed for a moment before settling in. 

Maybe the dance would've been different if you had stayed in the saloon that night.


	3. Non est meum

Time kept passing. Spring became summer, and the heat grew. The city had never been this warm; there always seemed to be wind. But not here. It was just heat.

And apparently with that came summer romance. 

The teenagers flirted with each other, and you could tell that a few of the adults were even interested in others. The few married couples stayed the same, but seemed happier. You were still alone. Your cabin had grown and now it just felt emptier.

It was starting to get depressing. Being alone practically all the time was weighing on you. Even in the city, you had a few coworkers that you didn't hate and would spend time with outside of work. And despite the fact that you were constantly being told that you were always welcome into the homes of all of the residents, you didn't feel like you had made any real connections. 

Harvey was obviously a no-go. You couldn't redeem yourself there. And you couldn't bring yourself to face Maru knowing how Harvey felt. Penny seemed incredibly standoffish; whenever you tried to talk to her, she would say a few words and then go silent. You could hardly ever find Leah or Elliott. Haley was generally rude to you, mainly about your new profession. You hadn't really connected with Emily when you first met her. The teenagers all seemed far too young to be real friends with. 

And then there was Shane. 

You had talked to him a few times before the Flower Dance, and a lot more afterwards. You had thought that you two were close, but then he suddenly stopped coming to the farm. He was always working when you'd try to visit him at Marnie's, and you never saw him at the saloon when you went. 

You missed him.

* * *

Life went on as usual. You were now able to grow blueberries and tomatoes, which lasted all season long, as well as corn. You felt like your little farm was really coming along. You had a coop built last season, and now Robin was working on your new barn. Your two chickens roamed happily in the fenced grass field outside their home, and as you left from collecting their eggs, Robin called you over.

"What's up?" You asked as you approached the carpenter. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this but I was wondering why you're never coming into town anymore. Everyone's been wondering what you've been up to, since none of us have hardly seen you since the Flower Dance."

That was a question you really didn't want to answer. "Um... I just don't really have any reason to come into town. I'm still trying to get my farm running smoothly, so I spend most of my time here." That was partly true. But you definitely weren't telling the whole truth and Robin could tell. "Hey, I know that's not true. C'mon, you can tell me." You groaned. "Fine. I had a little crush on Harvey a while ago and things got awkward between us and I've been avoiding him."

And Robin laughed. Why was she laughing? This was serious.

"Harvey is the one who's been asking about you the most! I figured you two had something going on and that's why he was asking." Shaking your head, you crossed your arms over your dirt-covered shirt. "No, Harvey likes-" And in that moment, you realized you were talking to Maru's mother and stopped yourself. "Who? You can't just stop there!" Robin whined, poking you until you finally spoke again. "He just doesn't like me. That's what I know." She scowled at you for a moment before going back to work. 

As you made your way to the bin, you heard her call out to you. "If you're going to avoid Harvey, at least try to talk to Shane. He's been worried sick about you too." 

Your face felt like it was going up in flames. Shane was worried about you? Then why did it seem like he was avoiding you? As much as you didn't want to, you knew where you could find him. So you started to make your way to JojaMart.

Unfortunately, you had chosen the worst possible time to go into town. Harvey was leaving his office to go for his usual walk to the fountain. You were hoping you could just duck past the saloon and avoid him, but he saw you. 

"Mercy?" And now he was yelling your name. You turned, putting on the best smile you could. "Harvey! I didn't see you there, sorry, I'm real busy, gotta find some... stuff." He definitely didn't believe that. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. Are you okay?" He was still your doctor, and your health was probably more important to him than anything else about you. "Oh I'm fine, it's just been busy. These first few weeks, you know. Lots to do." You had stood static where you were, but he had moved closer to you. "Are you sure? You looked flushed. You need to be staying hydrated. And make sure you wear sunscreen too." Always a doctor. 

"Can do, Harvey. I have to go." Before he could say anything else, you had jogged off towards JojaMart. As soon as you stepped inside, you were met with the sterile stench of corporate greed. The manager sneered at you, and you moved past his desk and into one of the aisles. 

You quickly spotted Shane, shelving items and generally not paying much attention to the world around him. You made you way over to him and stood until he looked up. His eyes practically lit up when he saw you. "Hey, you're here! I thought you hated Joja, why are you here?" He asked, his voice hushed. "I figured this was the best place to find you. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." You could swear you saw a blush on his face. "I'm sorry, I've been working overtime to save money to get Jas a present for her birthday. And then Morris saw how much I was working and decided to schedule me for even more hours. Because he's an asshole." 

Shane could always make you laugh. "Well I'd really like to see you again sometime. Are you free tonight? We could meet at the saloon." He nodded, before quickly going back to work. "I've got to look busy or Morris'll get pissed at me. I'll see you tonight at 5?" You nodded and left the store.

* * *

For some reason, you were incredibly nervous to see Shane that night. Trying to find the right outfit was nearly impossible, until you remembered he would probably just show up in his normal clothes. You decided to dress similarly, and once dressed, you headed out the door.

The walk into town was beautiful, but always marred by the anxiety that plagued you at the thought of seeing Harvey. But tonight, that feeling was gone. In fact, you hardly remembered why you had been so anxious in the past. 

The saloon wasn't very active, but the regulars were there, including Shane. He had saved a spot for you at the counter and was drinking something that didn't look like beer. As you approached, you saw that it was soda. "No beer for you tonight?" You asked as you sat down. He almost looked embarrassed. "I uh, I'm trying to drink less. It's not working very well, but I'm trying my best." You were a little shocked, but also happy. Shane's drinking habit was no secret and you did your best to not drink around him. "Then I'll have a cola too, please." You said to Gus, who promptly handed you a cold soda from the fridge. 

He seemed grateful for your choice and you smiled at him with a gentle nudge to his arm. "I'll support you, okay? You ever need anything, just let me know." Shane nodded, returning the smile, something you rarely saw. "I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, but I really appreciate you being my friend." The tender moment between you two was short, but sweet.

Your time together continued on late into the evening, filled with laughter and stories. You learned Shane had been a gridball player in high school but _chose_ not to go pro. "Oh, I'm sure that was by choice, definitely not a lack of skill." You teased, causing Shane to defend himself. "Hey, I was pretty good back in the day! But I had a passion. A passion for chickens." He said stoically, before bursting into laughter.

Soon, the saloon was closing and the two of you made your way out. Shane then offered to walk you back to the farm.

It was a strange moment. Under the dim light cast by the moon and the few streetlights, you could only make out a few of Shane's features. And you were suddenly drawn to him. You took a step closer. "Yeah, I'd like that." 

The two of you made the walk in good time, and were soon on your porch saying goodbye. And then he turned to leave. "Wait, Shane..." You paused, and he turned back around to face you. "What's up?" You were quiet, trying to think of the best way to say what you were thinking.

Until he said it.

Soon the two of you were tumbling past the front door, slamming it behind you. His hand ran up your sides as he captured your lips with his. Calloused fingers made their way under your shirt as you began to tug off his jacket. You tossed it away from you as he did the same with your shirt. 

You nearly collided with the table as you guided him back into your room. You were thankful that you had gotten the cabin enlarged; it would be incredibly awkward for this to all happen on a tiny bed right by the window. Feeling yourself fall back against the bed, you watched as Shane pulled his shirt over his head. He glanced down at you, grinning when he saw that you were watching him. "Like what you see?" You blushed, before slowly nodding. "I've got nothing to complain about." He moved over you, skin finally touching. He was soft and warm, with a generous amount of hair trailing down his chest and stomach. 

Shane slowly moved his hands up your sides and around to your back, fingers fidgeting with your bra until he got it off, tossing that to the side with the growing pile of clothes. He took in every inch of your body, before you pulled him down into another heated kiss. You could feel him smiling against your lips as he started to move down and kiss your neck and collarbone and down your stomach. You shivered when his lips met untouched skin, and looked up when you felt his fingers graze the top of your jeans.

"Can I...?" He didn't need to finish his sentence before you started unbuttoning your pants. "Eager, huh?" You nodded, no words necessary. A blush erupted across his face, and he looked down to avoid you seeing it and began to take off his own pants.

Eventually, all that was left between you was two pairs of underwear. And yours were quickly discarded as he pulled them down your legs. Shane moved onto the bed, and pulled you onto his lap. You could feel his length pressing against the thin fabric of his boxers and you rolled your hips when you were situated over him. He groaned, his hand snapping to grip your hips. He looked down to see where you were connected and saw that his boxers were already wet from a combination of you and his own precum. "Seems like you're eager too..." You whispered in his ear, before you kissed up and down his jawline. 

A hand slid between you, his fingers eventually finding your clit and beginning to circle it slowly, making you grab the sheets beside his legs. "Fuuuuck, that feels good..." He grinned. "Didn't expect to hear you swear like that, princess." The name made you melt right into his hands as he pushed you back just a bit so he could put a finger inside you. He started slow, picking up speed when he heard you start to moan louder and louder. 

You tugged down his boxers just enough for his cock to pop out. Your fingers could barely touch when you wrapped your hand around it and started to pump. The two of you moved in tandem with each other's movements, getting closer and closer to the edge until Shane pulled his fingers out and grabbed your hand. "Let me fuck you. Please." You certainly hadn't expected that, but you were more than happy to oblige. "Absolutely."

He pulled you into a deep kiss, while he fumbled for his wallet that he had placed on your nightstand when he was taking off his pants. Pulling out a small silver package, he ripped it open and slid the condom over his cock. You could feel him start to move so you would be under him but you kept your legs firm. "Can I ride you?" Shane immediately stopped moving, before a grin spread on his face. "Normally I like being in charge, but just for you, I'll make an exception." He lifted you so you could move yourself onto his cock, sliding down slowly so you could get used to the feeling. 

It took a bit, but you eventually stretched enough to fit him fully and comfortably. But you didn't move, and decided to run your hands up and down his chest for the moment. "Oh baby, please move. I wanna feel you ride my cock..." He whined, nearly begging for you to start moving. "Kiss me again." It was practically a demand, one that he quickly complied to. His hands roamed up your back and into your hair as he sat up and kissed you. Satisfied, you started to move up and down on his cock.

The moans that came from him were beyond sinful. They filled the room, and you were almost worried that anyone in the town would hear. That fear was satiated as you felt his cock hit just right inside you. 

He moaned out profanities mixed with your name and groaned 'princess' and 'baby' over and over. You weren't much better. You couldn't keep his name from spilling from your mouth as you rode him, his cock filling you perfectly. 

It wasn't long until he reached his end, his whole body shaking as he came down from his high. Again, you almost matched him as waves of heated pleasure rolled through your body as your rode out your orgasm.

Falling to his side, you watched as he stood to go to your bathroom and came back with a wet towel. "Need to clean up?" You grabbed the towel and washed off as best as you could. He tossed the condom in the trash by your bed and laid back down beside you, pulling the covers over both of you. "Hope you weren't expecting me to leave, because after that, you're not getting rid of me so easily." You laughed quietly, moving closer to him. He stuck out an arm, inviting you to lay on his chest. Wrapping his arm around you, Shane pressed a gentle kiss to your head. 

You hadn't realized how tired you were until your head met his warm chest. Almost instantly, you were drowsy and falling asleep. Shane reached to the nightstand and turned off the light, watching as you slowly drifted to sleep before settling in himself. 

That was the best night of sleep he had gotten in a long time. 


	4. Alius

You almost felt guilty waking up next to Shane. It certainly wasn't embarrassment; you had enjoyed your time together and you really did like him. But you felt like you had... _betrayed_ someone. 

Why did you feel like that?

It's not like he was interested in you. It's not like he even knew what happened between you and Shane. And if he did, he wouldn't even care. He had his mind set on other things. The health of the town, his work and finances, Maru... You rubbed your eyes as the thought of guilt drifted from your mind. Maybe this was the best way to get over your crush. Be with Shane. 

You rolled over in bed and looked up at him. He was still sound asleep, and you were happy to see him sleeping peacefully. Based on what you’d heard from Marnie, Shane didn’t usually sleep very well, if he even slept at all. Seeing him so comfortable in bed with you made you feel good. You hadn’t felt good in a long time, but you always seemed to feel like that when he was around. He had a way of making you feel safe and that was something you needed. 

If things kept going this way, you hoped you could make him feel the same way. You ran your hand up his chest and let yourself relax. It was hard to make time to do that while maintaining a farm by yourself. But you were at peace right now and you’d be happy to keep it that way for a while.

But you couldn’t help but think about Harvey again.

* * *

Little did you know, something new was on the doctor's mind. He had been leaving the office to run a house call for Jodie and Vincent. The boy was running a high fever and Jodie had called in hopes that Harvey would be able to do something. He grabbed his bag and made his way out of the clinic and down to the house. But he had seen something else on his way.

He didn't know why, but seeing you and Shane that close made something burn inside him. 

Jealousy, maybe. He assumed it was because you had been clearly avoiding him but you were now spending time with Shane, of all people. Someone you had only just met. Why didn't you want to be around Harvey, your oldest friend in town? Why wouldn't you come into the clinic for a check-up? Why did he feel so strange whenever anyone mentioned your name?

All of these questions swirled around in his head as he quietly watched you and Shane make your way out of town, and he knew you were headed to your farm. He'd almost forgotten why he was even outside in the first place. He shook away those strange feelings, and continued on his way to Jodie's home.

The visit was quick. Vincent just needed some antibiotics, which Harvey said he would deliver the next day. Jodie thanked him as he left. It was incredibly late. Harvey never stayed up past 11 because he knew he had work to do the next day. But now it was past 1 AM, and he was aimless. He knew he should go back to his apartment, but he felt drawn to your cabin. 

It would be entirely unethical of him to visit a patient at an hour like this, and he knew that. But the thought persisted. 

His ethics overrode his wants, and he made his way back to the clinic, with nothing but your face on his mind.

The next day was hell. He had hardly gotten any sleep. He just kept rethinking every interaction the two of you had ever had and trying to think of what he might have done wrong to make you avoid him. He pulled himself out of bed and put on his clothes, nearly stumbling down the stairs as he couldn't quite gain his footing. 

The wafting smell of coffee brought him back to his senses. Maru was standing at the counter with a two cups, sticking one out to him. He happily took it, and was thankful she had thought of him. But it wasn't the same as he usually felt.

He would admit that his crush on Maru was unprofessional, and that was why he kept it to himself. He would never act on it unless she stopped working for him. Before today, if she brought him coffee, his heart would swell and his face would burn bright red. Today was different.

His stomach did not twist and turn. He heart didn't melt. His face didn't burn. He was only thankful for a kind gesture from a friend. 

For the first time since he met Maru, he didn’t feel attracted to her in the slightest. In fact, the only thing he could think about was if he should bring you a coffee today. 

That day was uneventful, to say the least. There were a few routine checkups that he did, but other than that, the clinic was quiet. He let Maru leave early because there wasn’t anything to do that he couldn’t do by himself. 

He was getting ready to close the clinic early as well, considering summer days didn’t typically have many medical emergencies. But as he pulled out his keys to lock the door, he peeked outside to see who was around. 

And that’s when he saw you.

You looked completely calm, but your forehead was bloody and it looked like your hands were as well. Harvey immediately jumped into action. He ran over to you, panic flooding through his system. And you just smiled at him. “Hey Harv!” You said, your voice wavering. “What happened?!” He asked, wrapping an arm around your waist to support you as you continued your walk to the clinic.

“Oh well, I went into the mines today--” You started, but Harvey was shocked. “You went into the mines? What were you thinking?!” You waved him off with a bloody hand. “No, no it’s fine, I’ve been down there before and I’ve got a sword, it’s totally fine.” He looked down to see that you did in fact have a sword, an impressive one at that. “It’s still dangerous, sword or otherwise.” He explained as he got you through the door of the clinic. “Sure, whatever, well anyways, I was, y’know, mining, and this crazy huge slime thing attacked me outta nowhere and when I was trying to pull my sword out, I stumbled and hit my head on a rock and then the thing tried to, like, encase me or somethin’, but it only got my hands.” You lifted up said hands to show him what looked like acid burns covering them. 

He got you back to the exam room where he helped you up onto the table. “I promise I’m basically fine, I just need, like, aspirin or something.” You said, clearly unhappy with him going full doctor on you. “You don’t just need aspirin. I’m going to have to clean your wounds and dress them. You won’t be able to work with your hands for a while.” It seemed like that nearly shocked you back to fully conscious. “But I work on a farm! I need my hands!” You were on the verge of tears and Harvey couldn’t help but feel guilty. “Then I’ll come help at your farm until your hands are healed.” 

You looked over at him, tears still daring to fall from your eyes. “You’d really do that…?” Your voice was soft and weak, and it sent shivers down his spine. “Of course. You’re my friend, after all.” That broke you. You started crying, sobs racking your body. Harvey truly didn’t know how to respond. “Are you… okay?” That was a stupid question to ask, when you clearly were not.

“You’re too nice to me. I’ve been so mean to you just because you like Maru and not me and that’s so dumb of me, but now you’re offering to help me on my stupid farm just because I’m an idiot who gets attacked by giant slime monsters and it’s dumb! Everything is dumb!” It seemed that you’d gone back to your delusional state because Harvey could barely piece together everything you’d said. “You were ignoring me because you wanted me to like you and not Maru?” He asked, trying to understand what you’d just rambled out.

You’d stopped crying and your face had turned red. “Um. No. No, that’s not what I said. I uh… I don’t like you. Nope. Never have. You’re just a normal person who I went to school with and that’s all. I… definitely didn’t have a crush on you back then and I definitely don’t have one on you now.” This probably wasn’t the best time to be having a conversation like this. You were just barely conscious and he didn’t even fully understand his feelings towards you yet. 

But then again, back in college, he’d thought about asking you out so many times. He’d brought you coffee, helped you with homework whenever you needed it, and did whatever he could to show you how he felt without being too forwards. He thought he’d missed out on being with you once you both graduated and moved onto different parts of your lives. 

He didn’t want to miss out again.

“If you do decide that you like me, I’d be happy to hear it.” He said gently, wiping the blood from your forehead. The wound wasn’t as bad as he’d expected, so he was able to dress it easily. You’d calmed down enough for him to start cleaning your hands. You winced when the cold water met your burns. Once he’d finished and had wrapped your burns with gauze, you felt much better. You were still woozy, but you’d be able to make it home. 

You stood from the table and were able to maintain your footing. “Well… if that does happen, I’ll let you know.” You started towards the door, but Harvey stopped you. “You need someone to walk you home.” It wasn’t a suggestion. As he stepped towards you to help you walk, you heard the door of the clinic open. A voice from the waiting room was calling your name. You moved away from Harvey to find the person, and you were both surprised to see Shane standing near the counter, looking for you. 

“Oh thank Yoba, Marnie said she saw you walking here and that you looked bad. I ran here as fast as I could. C’mon, I’ll take you home.” He offered an arm once you were close enough. You took it, giving Harvey an apologetic look. “Shane, make sure she washes her wounds at least twice a day.” He said and Shane nodded. “I will. Thanks, doc.” 

With that, you were gone again, and Harvey was left with just his thoughts. What you’d said could’ve just been delusional thoughts. You might not have meant any of it. Then again, it made sense. Why would you want to spend time with someone you were attracted to that clearly didn’t reciprocate? He wished he’d figured that out sooner with Maru.

And how did Shane factor into all of this? He’d seen the two of you together outside of the saloon, standing far too close for friends. Shane had also been your date to the Flower Dance and that had to have meant something. And then there was the fact that he’d rushed to the clinic to collect you once he heard you’d been injured. Harvey didn’t know much about how boyfriends act, since he’d never really had a serious relationship, but it seemed like that was something that a boyfriend would do. 

What was Harvey supposed to do? He was in a terrible position. You might be seeing someone else, he was just now getting over a crush he’d had for a long time, you might’ve only said you liked him because you were going through a traumatic experience, and worst of all, he was your doctor. The only doctor in town, as well. If he made you uncomfortable in any way, you’d have to drive miles away to see a doctor, or worse, you would just move away. He couldn’t risk it. Even if he did decide that he had feelings for you, he couldn’t act on them. He would have to wait to see if you had told the truth in his office.


	5. Simul

You woke up the next day in your room with a pounding headache. You didn’t remember coming home and you definitely didn’t remember changing into your pajamas. As you started to sit up in bed, you looked around the room and saw Shane sleeping in the armchair across from you. Your bed creaked and it woke him up. 

“Hey, be careful, your burns and stuff are still healing.” He warned as he got up and came over to you to help you sit up. “What did I do?” You asked, looking at your wrapped up hands. “According to Harvey, you went into the mines and got attacked by a slime monster. Burned your hands and hit your head, so he fixed you up and I’ve been taking care of you.” 

Looking at your hands, you sighed. “I’m guessing he told me not to do any work on the farm?” Shane nodded in confirmation. “But don’t worry. I took the next few days off from work, so I’m here to help with whatever you need.” You couldn’t believe how much Shane had offered to do for you. You’d have to figure out a way to repay him. “I really appreciate that.” It was still pretty early in the morning, so there was no need to start the work right away. “You know, when I first got here, everyone said you were the last person I’d make friends with, if at all. But you’re the only person here who’s been genuinely nice to me the whole time I’ve been here. Everyone else mostly uses me for favors when they need produce or something they apparently can’t get themselves. But you’ve never asked me for anything, and you’ve been so kind to me.” You folded your hands in your lap and stared at them, not sure if you should look at Shane. 

Before you could look up, however, you felt the bed sink beside you. He put his hand on your knee. “I’ve had people expect so much from me my whole life, and it sucks. I would never do that to you.” The townsfolk’s initial description of Shane, surly, rude, and unsympathetic, was completely wrong. Or at least, he wasn’t that way towards you.

He made you forget about all the things you hated about this place and yourself. He made you feel like a truly useful and lovable person, rather than just a tool to be used by the rest of the town. 

You let out a deep breath as the sun started to shine through the window in your room. “Are you sure you’re okay with helping on the farm?” You asked, giving him a chance to back out. He smiled at you. “I’m sure. I work in the barn for Marnie, so I’m no stranger to hard work.” You got up out of bed with some help from Shane and found some paper so you could start to write up a list of things that had to be done.

Shane didn’t complain about a single task. From milking your new cow to watering your crops, he did everything happily. He even took it upon himself to name your chickens and he said he’d bring over a duckling sometime so you could have duck eggs as well. 

It was just past midday and you were sitting on the porch with Shane eating sandwiches you’d been able to haphazardly put together, but he didn’t seem to mind. That’s when you heard someone coming down the path from town. You started to get up to see who it was, but Shane got up faster and insisted he could check for you. He made his way off the porch and headed down to see who it was.

You couldn’t see him from where you were, but you heard another male voice, one that sounded suspiciously like… 

“You didn’t have to come down here, Harvey. I’ve got it handled.” Shane sounded far more stern than you’d ever heard him speak. “Yes, but I promised her yesterday that I would come to help and I intend to keep my promise.” You scooted to the very edge of the porch so you could see them. Shane gestured to your fields. “I’ve already finished everything. No need for you to be here.” He almost sounded… angry?

“Shane, as your doctor and hers, neither one of you is in the best shape to be taking care of a farm right now.” You blinked. You could understand how you might not be able to work, but Shane seemed perfectly fine. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” He was definitely angry. “Well, with your… condition, I would think that--” 

“Oh, my condition? What is that condition, Harvey?” You could see Shane stepping closer to Harvey, and despite the height difference between them, Shane was imposing. “Shane, you know exactly what I mean. I don’t want you to overwork yourself.” 

Shane shook his head. “No, I think you just want to keep stringing her along. You know how she feels about you, I’m sure you do. And you like the feeling of someone being interested in you without having to reciprocate.” It was getting pretty tense between them. You pulled yourself off the porch and headed down. Before Shane could do anything brash, you interjected. “Harvey! It’s great to see you. Shane and I have everything handled just fine here, so I’ll call you if I need any extra help, okay?” Harvey looked incredibly flustered and just took you for your word. “Alright. Make sure you wash your wounds.” He said before leaving.

You put a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” He glanced over at you. “I’m guessing you heard all of that?” You nodded. “Ugh. I’m sorry. I try not to get all worked up like that anymore, but something about that guy just bugs me.” You smiled a bit. “Is it because I used to like him?” 

He took a moment to process what you said. “Used to…?” You gently slipped your bandaged hand into his. “Mhm. Can’t like two guys at once, can I?” He almost seemed shocked. “Well, I guess if one guy is a nerdy doctor and the other is a former gridball player, chicken-loving dreamboat, the better choice is pretty obvious.” You laughed and let go of his hand to give him a small push. “Seems a bit self-serving to describe yourself like that.” Shane shrugged. “Trying to build up my self-confidence. Fake it ‘til you make it, ya know?” 

He walked you back to the porch and helped you sit on the swinging bench. “Anything else you need done?” You took a look around the farm and shook your head. “Nope! You got everything done even faster than I usually do.” He looked incredibly proud of himself. “Maybe I should be a farmer instead of working for Joja.” You knew he was joking, but you hoped he was a little serious. You wouldn’t say anything, for now. “Can you still stay with me…?” You asked quietly, hoping he didn’t have any plans. “Yeah, of course.” 

The two of you headed inside and you made sure to turn on the air conditioning unit you’d had installed before summer started. Shane helped you clean your burns and your head in the bathroom and redressed them. You plopped yourself down on the couch while he went to the kitchen. “I’m not much of a cook, but I make a mean spaghetti, if you’re okay with that.” You hadn’t even asked him to make anything, and he was already offering. “That sounds great.” 

You turned on the TV and flipped to the sports channel, one you rarely watched but you assumed Shane would prefer that over the usual farming shows you had on. 

The evening was quiet and you were happy for it. Just relaxing and spending time with Shane was better than anything else you could think of.

\---

Harvey was more confused than when you’d left the clinic yesterday. He was pacing his small apartment above the clinic, trying to understand what had just happened. Shane claimed you had feelings for him, and not Shane, so you couldn’t be dating. Or maybe you were and Shane was just jealous or confused. He couldn’t wrap his head around it.

But seeing you, fully conscious and not on the verge of fainting, had made him so happy. You were looking better than you had the other day and he just wanted to make sure you were doing fine on the farm. He’d made a promise to help you and he was the kind of person to keep his promises, especially to those he cared about.

Was he finally admitting to himself that he cared about you as more than just an old friend and patient? Or was Shane right about him stringing you along? If he was, he wasn’t doing it on purpose. And he didn’t want you to think he was doing that either. He didn’t even know how he’d explain himself, especially if Shane was staying with you. He wanted to talk to you, alone.

So he started to come up with a plan. At the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, he’d pull you aside to talk to you and try to figure out what was going on between the two of you. It was only a few days away, but he was fairly certain your wounds would be healed by then so Shane wouldn’t have to stay with you anymore.

What was he even going to say to you? He could tell you that he’d had feelings for you back in school and he thought they were coming back now. But he already knew that might make you uncomfortable. And then there was the problem of Shane. He still didn’t know the nature of your relationship with him and he didn’t want to make an already tense situation any worse. 

He’d figure it out eventually. But he had to say something to you, no matter what happened. He couldn’t keep being scared of rejection or he’d be an old bachelor for the rest of his life.

For the next few days, he went about his normal business, doing routine checkups, patching up the occasional scratched knee and reminding all of his patients to drink water and stay hydrated. But he kept you on his mind the whole time.

The last day of summer came quickly, and Harvey assumed it was because he was so anxious for it to come. Time always seemed to go faster when he was riddled with anxiety. 

He closed the clinic and locked the door behind him as he started to make his way to the beach. The rest of the town was headed that way as well. Night was the best time to see the jellies’ glow and it was conveniently also the time that they began their migration. 

As he approached the beach, he could see the townsfolk gathered on the dock, preparing to see the migration. Everyone was there, as far as he could tell, but he was still trying to find you. He spotted Jas with Marnie and saw Shane with them. It didn’t look like you were with them though.

Finally, he saw you sitting on the dock, leaning out as far as you could to see the event about to occur. He was sure it was your first time seeing this, based on your current state. He thought it was a bit odd that you were sitting by yourself, but that made it easier for him to approach you.

Making his way over, he sat down beside you on the dock. You glanced over at him, but remained silent. You didn’t look mad, just content in the quiet. He decided to not say anything until the jellies had finished their migration.

Soon, the sea creatures started to show up in the waters near the dock. Their glow lit up the night and the faces of the townsfolk. You were absolutely entranced by their light. You were staring into the water, watching as each jelly floated by. Harvey couldn’t help but watch you. He’d seen this a thousand times before so it wasn’t as special to him anymore. But the way you were looking at the water, eyes glowing with the light of the jellies, he’d never seen that before.

“You know,” he started, voice quiet so as to not disturb you. “They say that if you see the green jelly, you’ll find true love in the next year.” You looked up from the water to sneak a peek at him as he said this, trying to figure out what brought that up. But when you looked back out at the water, you saw a glowing green jelly just in front of you. 

The creatures soon finished their migration as the night became dark once again. It was getting cold, a sign of the season coming. You’d neglected to bring a jacket, assuming it would stay warm for just a bit longer. 

As the town began to disperse, you shivered as you stood up on the dock. Harvey took a quick look around, made sure that Shane and his family had left, and took off his green twill jacket and placed it on your shoulders. 

Without even thinking, you tugged it around you, trying to stay warm. You mumbled a quick thanks to Harvey and started on your way back to the farm. He walked alongside you, choosing to maintain the quiet. 

“What are you doing, Harvey?” You asked as the two of you walked across the bridge connecting the town and the beach. “Making sure you get home safely.” He answered, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I can handle myself…” You muttered, a bit irritated with his concerns. He let out a laugh, one he hadn’t necessarily intended to come out. “Sorry. It’s just that, while I do think you can absolutely handle yourself, you sound like how you did when you came to me after your mining incident.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, frustrated with the fact that he was seemingly making fun of you. “I’m perfectly capable of making the completely safe walk back to my farm by myself.” You were now walking through the center of town, past the clinic. “I know you are. But I also wanted to talk to you.” You stopped walking and turned to face him. “About what?”

He’d had days to prepare himself for this conversation, but his mind was blank. “I… I’m very sorry about what happened with Shane the other day. The way I acted was completely inappropriate, as your doctor and as your friend. If you want to be with him, then I’m happy for you. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve some happiness.” That was all true, but he still felt like he needed to say something else. “But I should say--” 

Before he could go on with what he had to say, he saw the look on your face. You looked like you were about to cry. “What’s wrong?” You shook your head, tears wellin up in your eyes. “This is just… so frustrating. For the longest time, I thought you were the person I might end up with. I don’t know why I ever thought that, you never even gave me the time of day in college. But I was so sure of it, until we graduated and didn’t speak again until we ended up in the same town by pure coincidence. And now, I’ve finally figured out that there are people who care about me and want to be with me, and those people aren’t you. But of course, now you’ve decided I’m your last chance at escaping eternal bachelorhood. It’s not fair, Harvey. You can’t do this.” 

Harvey didn’t know what to say. But he had to. “I’m not trying to escape being a bachelor forever. And I don’t want to hurt you in any way, especially if you’ve really found what you want in Shane. I would understand.” He knew exactly what he wanted to say, he just didn’t know how you’d react to it. “When we were in college, I was terrified of rejection. I did everything I could to make you see how I felt about you without outright saying it, because I was sure you wouldn’t reciprocate. You were so confident and self-assured, I knew you wouldn’t want to be with someone like me. But I can’t feel like that anymore. I don’t want to miss out on being with you for the second time.” He paused, trying to collect his thoughts as you looked at him, waiting for him to say what he needed. “I’m in love with you, and I can’t just stand by and never tell you how I feel.” 

He wasn’t trying to get in between you and Shane. All he wanted was for you to know how he felt, because he didn’t do that when he should have the first time he met you. He was given a second chance, and he would not let it go to waste.

You were silent and he was worried you’d be angry with him. He began preparing himself for the worst when he felt you grab his arm. “What are you--”

“Just… shut up, okay?”

You tugged him down to you, one hand on his arm, the other grabbing his tie. You had no idea what came over you, but in an instant you were kissing him. 

It felt just like you’d imagined all those years ago. 

The two of you just fit together, like you were meant to be kissing like this. It was almost like you were melting against him, overwhelmed with emotion over everything that had happened and what was now happening. 

But really, the only thought in your mind was how good it felt to finally kiss him, like you’d always wanted to. The time was never right, you decided, but this was as right as it could get. 

You felt his hands slip under the jacket and settle on your sides, holding you as if you were about to slip away from him at any moment. He couldn’t believe that he was there with you, lips pressed rough against yours, never wanting for it to end. 

For the longest time, Harvey had only seen himself with Maru or alone. There hadn’t been any other outcomes that he saw as possible. But then you came back into his life and he never wanted you to leave again. 

He had to breath. He didn’t want to, but he really had to. Harvey pulled away from you, leaving a disappointed look on your face. “Did I do something wrong…?” You asked, face still just inches from his. He shook his head. “No, I just have trouble breathing even when I’m not kissing someone. I wasn’t really expecting that so I didn’t get a chance to catch my breath.”

Your face burned red. “I’m sorry, I know you have asthma, I should’ve warned y--” Now it was Harvey’s turn to cut you off. He pulled you back in, letting his hands come up to your face and threading his fingers through your hair. 

You’d never been kissed like this, by someone who seemed like they really wanted to be there because of you and not because of any implications of sex. Harvey was kissing you because he wanted to kiss you, and that was all.

Soon, the two of you had to pull away again. He was practically gasping for air. It was almost sweet how much he was willing to go through just to kiss you for a little longer. 

It was dark and getting darker by the minute. Harvey had taken your hands in his and was rubbing small circles into your skin. “Can we… spend some time together soon? Just the two of us? And not in the middle of the night?” You smiled at him, a smile he couldn’t necessarily see but he could feel. “I’d like that. Let me know when you’re free and I’ll come over.” 

He squeezed your hands gently, feeling where you’d been burned but had now healed over. “I get fairly busy during the coming seasons, but I promise I’ll make time for you.” 

Despite how cold it was outside, you felt nothing but warmth as Harvey kissed you once more and let you go, trusting you to get home safely by yourself. 

And you thought of Harvey the whole night.


End file.
